From elegant to whimsical, Christmas stockings are a great way to add a pop of holiday cheer to any room. Plus, they can readily be sewn in a few hours of enjoyable sewing time. Enjoy this sewing tutorial!

This free pattern from Pellon Projectswas designed by Rachel Gander. Today we’re going to change it up to feature a traditional Tumbler pattern as the front of the stocking. I’ve chosen rich, gorgeous silks to complete the look.

Note from Nancy: To prevent the edges of the seams from making an imprint on the right side, press the seams over a sleeve roll. If you don’t have a sleeve roll, tightly roll and tape several magazines or catalogs. Cover with a wool fabric or wool felt and hand stitch. The fabric will absorb the moisture of the iron.

Use temporary adhesive basting spray to attach the patchwork tumbler to theinterfacing.

Use a machine straight stitch to stitch in-the-ditch though the patchwork and the interfacing.

Fold the loop in half and pin the cut edges to the top of the stocking lining.

Baste.

Create the Stocking

Layer the lining onto the stocking fabrics, for both back and front pieces.

Pin along the top edge.

Use a 1/4″ seam allowance to stitch along the top edge of each the back and front fabrics.

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Once sewn and opened, the pieces should look like this:

With both stocking back and front open and flat, match right sides and pin.

Note from Nancy: When joining the stocking, we need to leave an unstitched opening along the lining straight edge. To remind myself to stop stitching at this area, I place a pin parallel to the cut edge, rather than perpendicular.

Stitch around the stocking using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Backstitch at the start and finish, leaving 4″ unsewn along the lining’s straight edge.

Bye for now,

Nancy Zieman—author, pattern designer, businesswoman, producer, and national sewing authority—is the host of the popular show Sewing With Nancy®, which appears exclusively on public television stations across the United States and Canada. Follow Nancy’s blog at NancyZieman.com/blog and sign up to receive Nancy’s E-News for the latest news in Sewing, Quilting, Creating, and Block of the Month updates.

19 Comments

This would be great to win this. I probably wouldn’t have time to make any for Christmas, but one of my friends whom wears these has a birthday coming up in March. Would make the perfect gift!

Marjorie CrickNovember 25, 2015

My fitting problems involves the fact that one shoulder is higher than the other one.

charmaineNovember 21, 2015

Very difficult trying to enter my stockings… Took almost an hour of guessing to get them sent… Don’t know if they are there or not… Cannot see them…

Nancy ZiemanNovember 21, 2015

Charmaine, our social media coordinator will help you out. She’ll email you if there are issues. Sorry that you had problems.

ConnieNovember 19, 2015

Thanks for all your tips on sewing. I have recently retired and I finally have the time to make all the things that I’ve had to put off because I didn’t have time to sew. I have gotten really good at following a pattern, but I’m not the same size as the printed patterns. The last time I tried to alter a pattern I really messed up. I’m going to watch your programs again about how to alter a pattern. Maybe one day I will succeed at that too. Thanks for inspiring me to try again.

Trying to use up tubs of fabric before I die. Maybe this will help me do this. Sewing gifts sure makes you feel better.

beckyNovember 10, 2015

Where is the form for the stocking? I can’t find the link.

Sharon CowleyNovember 7, 2015

Can I enter a knitted 23-inch Christmas Stocking, or must it be a ‘sewn’ Christmas Stocking?
Thanks, Sharon Cowley

Nancy ZiemanNovember 8, 2015

Sharon,
It must be a sewn stocking. Thanks for following along!

CarolynNovember 5, 2015

Love your ideas. I will be making Christmas aprons and fleece pillows w/sorority logos for grand nieces.

Kris ValleNovember 4, 2015

Last year’s stocking entries were so beautiful. It will be exciting to see this years stockings. Thanks to the prize sponsors for such wonderful prizes!

VeronicaNovember 3, 2015

I think I downloaded my pictures correctly, but where can I see the pictures that are in the contest?

Nancy ZiemanNovember 4, 2015

Veronica, did you refresh your page? If so and you still can’t see your image, please contact [email protected] and we’ll guide you through the process.

CindyNovember 3, 2015

I already had a goal for making new stockings for everyone this Christmas. Last year I bought some beautiful red velvet on sale just before Christmas but I was already out of time. Now I have an added goal to refine the plan and get them under way now. I love the prizes! I don’t know which one I’d rather have! I just hope I can come up with something up to the task of winning!

Jeannine BrennerNovember 3, 2015

What a fabulous challenge! I have never sewn a stocking before and I do need to make one for our bunny…everyone needs a stocking right?!?! I am hoping to join in this challenge!

MarilynNovember 3, 2015

Love your sample. Very pretty and classy!

Sue VincentNovember 3, 2015

OK, I’m in. I think I’ll make two. One for each of my pups. I made a stocking many years ago when my son was little and we were visiting Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas. I had forgotten to pack his stocking so I made one. It had a removable toy on the front as well as other Christmas decorations. My son still has that stocking and hangs it for his kids now. I am Grandma Zoo now.

LorijNovember 3, 2015

Hopefully this is the year for me to enter. I’ve been waiting! Hope you’re doing well. Thanks for the opportunity to enter

Samm SealsNovember 3, 2015

Nice simple idea: make a cute stocking. Then the directions to do it. “Correctly”. ” properly “… Yikes! A lot of work. The prizes are spectacular!!! Worth the effort. Guess I’m lazy